October 19, 2019
No. 255
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) expresses sincere gratitude to diplomatic allies and like-minded countries for adhering to professional principles and showing moral courage in voicing firm support for Taiwan’s participation in the International Criminal Police Organization, whose 88th General Assembly concluded on October 18.
Even though Taiwan did not receive an invitation to attend this year’s General Assembly as an Observer as a result of political factors, it garnered unprecedented international support for its participation in INTERPOL, underlining that its appeals are appropriate and reasonable and that an ever growing number of countries are displeased with its exclusion from the global law enforcement network. MOFA reiterates that it will continue to staunchly promote Taiwan’s participation in a professional, pragmatic and constructive manner, and collaborate closely with the Ministry of the Interior and other related government agencies to gain further backing from the international community.
The extensive support provided by Taiwan’s diplomatic allies was very encouraging. Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Paraguay, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines sent letters to INTERPOL President Kim Jong Yang, urging him to invite Taiwan to attend the General Assembly as an Observer. In addition, high-level police officials from Belize, Guatemala, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Tuvalu produced a short video to endorse Taiwan’s bid. And representatives from Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, and Saint Christopher and Nevis delivered forceful statements at the General Assembly in favor of Taiwan, solemnly calling on INTERPOL to include Taiwan in order to ensure that no gaps exist in the global law enforcement network. Indeed, this marked the first time since Taiwan was forced to withdraw from INTERPOL in 1984 that voices in support of Taiwan were so clearly heard at the General Assembly. This drew considerable attention, enhancing the INTERPOL community’s understanding of the unfair treatment of Taiwan and pushing it to take this issue seriously.
This year, like-minded countries were also much more explicit than in the past in backing Taiwan’s involvement, setting an example for other nations as well. Then US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Patrick Murphy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs Jonathan Moore, Director of the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) William Brent Christensen, and AIT spokesperson Amanda Mansour publicly expressed firm support for Taiwan’s bid to participate in INTERPOL. Moreover, the representative offices in Taiwan of the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia clearly conveyed support for Taiwan’s campaign by sharing the aforementioned short video made by diplomatic allies as well as an op-ed written by Commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Bureau Huang Ming-chao on their respective official Facebook pages. The US and German representative offices further pointed out that politicization of law enforcement only serves to aid crime.
Meanwhile, 140 parliamentarians from 14 countries used diverse methods to back Taiwan’s campaign. The US House of Representatives passed the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019 in May this year with 414 votes in favor and none against, reiterating US policy of advocating for Taiwan’s participation in international governmental organizations such as INTERPOL. Meanwhile, 47 Members of the House of Representatives from both sides of the political aisle—including John Curtis (R-UT), Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee—sent a joint letter to the US Secretaries of Justice and State demanding that the US executive branch take concrete action to assist with Taiwan’s INTERPOL participation. The Cochairs of the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group—Nigel Evans MP and Lord Rogan—issued a joint statement calling on INTERPOL to invite Taiwan to attend this year’s General Assembly as an Observer. Also, parliamentarians from Chile, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and Turkey for the first time endorsed Taiwan’s participation through letters, resolutions or public statements.
To give the international community a better understanding of the appeals and urgency of Taiwan’s bid for INTERPOL participation, Commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Bureau Huang Ming-chao wrote a special op-ed referred to above, entitled “Taiwan cannot be absent from the global fight against transnational crime,” which was republished by 49 important media outlets and featured in 29 reports, amplifying Taiwan’s professional and pragmatic requests in the international community.
MOFA criticizes the false statements at the General Assembly made by China’s representative, who inappropriately said that Taiwan is part of China’s territory, has no right to Observer status, and can submit Notices to Interpol through the Beijing National Central Bureau. Indeed, MOFA condemns China’s deplorable effort to deliberately mislead international audiences. MOFA once again reiterates the indisputable fact that Taiwan is not part of the People’s Republic of China and is not within the jurisdiction of the Chinese government. Only the democratically elected government of Taiwan can represent the 23 million people of Taiwan in the international arena. China has no right, and is in no position, to question or interfere with arrangements for Taiwan’s participation in INTERPOL.
MOFA emphasizes that no police agency should be excluded from INTERPOL, particularly in light of the organization’s self-defined mission to build a safer world. As a key stakeholder in the international community, Taiwan is exceedingly ready and willing to help. As the recently reappointed INTERPOL Secretary-General Jürgen Stock said at this year’s General Assembly, a strong, neutral INTERPOL is more important than ever to address evolving security challenges. MOFA urges INTERPOL to adhere to its mission of ensuring and advancing mutual assistance between all police agencies worldwide; abide by Article 3 of its Constitution; halt actions of a political nature such as excluding Taiwan; formulate appropriate arrangements as soon as possible to ensure Taiwan’s full participation in its meetings, mechanisms, training activities and other events; and allow Taiwan to access the I-24/7 global police communications systems as well as 17 databases including the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database. This is the only way to ensure that no gaps exist in the global police network. (E)